Venues in Seattle WA

Red Menace

Platinum Member
Ok, I hope this is in the right spot...

I'll be in Seattle for week in August, whilst there I'd love to hit some great venues and hear some good Seattle music. This is the City that gave us Hendrix and Garage rock.

Sooo, where do I go to hear good local music (that's NOT grunge) and play a couple of open mic nights?
 
I used to live in Seattle. For me, the best places for live music were the Highway 99 blues club and Jazz Alley.

For a good open mic, check out Jbay's Bar and Grill in Kirkland. they have an open mic every Wednesday. My friend, Heather, hosts it; it used be located at Danny's Pub. I played a scaled down little drum kit for most of them since it's pretty much an acoustic blues type of thing. It was a blast, check it out if you can.

I'm so jealous... I miss the music in Seattle.

Oh!! You must check out Donn Bennett's drum shop in Bellevue too. If nothing else, for the museum of drum kits he has on the walls.
 
I'll second Jazz alley (though often it's the heavyweights as opposed to local guys - basically the same circuit as Yoshi's in the Bay Area) so it's not so much a "local guy" type thing and Highway 99 can be good (though sometimes dead - just depends)
there is also the triple door
The showbox can be good (tends to be more rock and popular styles), but again, can be a little more national touring acts
Tractor Tavern can give you more local flavor as well as the Sunset Tavern (are they owned by the same guy??)

Little Red Hen is the dmall country place if that's your thing.

El Corazon is the all-black-inside harder styles (hard rock, punk, etc) place.

I Think the "American String Project" has done it's season but if they are playing, they are really wonderful (no percussion in it though)

Chop Suey can have some interesting shows with some left-of-center color to them

The Crocodile Café may have something going on

michael Shrieve has sort of a standing gig at Tost Lounge

there is also the EMP ("experience Music Project") Museum and performance space (they are associated with KEXP radio) to check out


I wouldn't worry about "grunge" - Seattle really isn't a bunch of grungies slouching around, that was sort of a national media fiction
hell, the Melvins and Cobain were from Aberdeen, not Seattle
(though Soundgarden is named after the NOAA soundgarden just of the Magnuson dog park)



and, yeah, going to don Bennett's is sort of required
 
Oh yeah...I forgot the Triple Door. Thanks, 'ish'! Some great shows there too.
 
Here is a place that has an open mic night on Thursdays if jazz is your thing.http://www.lucidseattle.com/

There is an area in downtown called Pioneer Square that has several clubs all within walking distance. Everything from blues, jazz and DJ's to heavy metal or punk. This is probably worth one evening.
 
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